AT THE last count, almost 900 people in the borough were trying to give up smoking.

And, after four weeks, almost half of them had been successful.

Although this result compares favourably with the rest of Cheshire and Merseyside, it is still a far worse outcome than in some parts of England. Quitters in Sussex, for instance, recorded an 85% success rate.

The situation in Ellesmere Port and Neston underlines what the Health Development Agency describes as 'unacceptable differences' in smoking cessation performances across the country.

And the report highlights worrying differences in smoking prevalence, with higher levels found in disadvantaged areas than in affluent ones.

Professor John Ashton, regional director of public health, welcomed the report, saying: 'We are in the grip of a smoking epidemic, with an estimated 14,500 people in the North West dying needlessly each year because of smoking.'

Dominic Harrison, Health Development Agency regional associate director for the North West, said: 'Smoking is an important cause of health inequalities - the poorer you are, the more likely you are to smoke, you're less likely to quit and you're more likely to die from smoking-related causes.

'The report highlights that the percentage of smoking-attributable deaths differs by up to 20% across primary care trusts (PCTs) - and these high levels of variation in smoking rates across the country are unacceptable.

'In our region, PCT figures for people smoking are among the highest in the country. We hope that this report will be a valuable tool to help PCTs make the case for smoking cessation resources in their areas and for more investment at local level.'

Across the 303 PCTs in England, the estimated current smoking prevalence is highest around inner London, parts of the North East, the North West, West Midlands and East Midlands.

In 2003/04, 898 said they were trying to pack in smoking in Ellesmere Port and Neston, with 412 claiming they had achieved this after four weeks.

Best success rate for Cheshire and Merseyside was 57% in North Liverpool, while Cheshire West had the worst rate at 36%.

Figures for the region show 61% of quitters were women and the age group most likely to want to kick the habit was 45-59, with 29%. Least likely were the under-18s, at just 2%.